In the fall of 2002, the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) implemented a new teacher certification examination program that will, over the next few years, supplant the Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas (ExCET), which has been the state's teacher certification exam since 1986. At the same time, SBEC introduced a new generation of certificates for Texas teachers. The new certification examination program is called the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES).
The change is the result of the evolution of public education in Texas. Since 1998, Texas has been on the forefront of a national movement to improve education and advance student learning by improving the way school curriculum is aligned from grade to grade, from kindergarten through college. SBEC, working in conjunction with the Texas Education Agency and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, developed the K–16 Initiative, which is designed to promote a seamless system of education.
The redesign of the educator certification structure is an integral part of the K–16 Initiative. The first step in this process was the development of new standards for beginning Texas public school teachers. These standards are based on the state's required curriculum for public school students, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Developing the new standards and introducing new teacher certificates has been a cooperative process involving numerous committees, each comprised of as many as 25 experts from all educational arenas, from classroom teachers to deans of education, as well as interested citizens.
The work of these committees is guiding the development of the new TExES testing program, which is based on the new standards. Twenty-five new standards-based certificates were introduced in the fall of 2002. Five new certificates are being introduced in the fall of 2003. SBEC has a goal of replacing all existing ExCET tests and certificates by 2005.
The certificate structure itself also is being streamlined. There will be a reduction in the types of certificates offered, but each new certificate will require a greater breadth and depth of knowledge on the part of the beginning teacher. For example, there no longer will be individual certificates offered for physics and chemistry. Instead there will be a single certificate for physical science, which requires the beginning teacher to have adequate content knowledge to teach either, or both.
SBEC and the committees creating the new standards recognize that children learn differently at different grade levels. The new certificate structure takes these developmental differences into account. The new certificates will also bring greater focus to preparing middle school teachers. New certificates have been issued for early childhood through grade four, grades four through eight, and grades eight through twelve. These are replacing current certificates that cover early childhood through grades six or eight, and grades six through twelve. There are also new certificates that are considered all-level (i.e., early childhood through grade twelve).
If you have questions about the new TExES tests or the TExES program in general, please call the SBEC Office of Accountability at (512) 238-3200.
